The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, has said that some of his colleagues were already lamenting their poor pay contrary to their expectations before they were elected.
Kalu, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Saturday, also promised to unveil details of all what a senator earns very soon.
He said, “Let me address the issue of jumbo pay. I have received my salary for June and it is far below what you people are writing.
“If a minister is travelling to Lagos, would he use his legs? What you call fat salary are monies used to run the constituency because they don’t give us additional funds.
“It is the money we use when we travel to Abia, Lagos, Badagry or Kaduna. Next meeting, I will unveil to you.
“You will now see that you are maligning and criticising the National Assembly for nothing.
“Most of my colleagues said they did not know it was going to be like this and I said we came to serve our country as senators.
“When they were outside, they were also saying that all the money was carried by the National Assembly which is not true.
“The money they have given them is not going to be enough. I have seen them crying already.
“They came to me to complain because I have seen the good and the ugly.
“I think that the media is not fair to the National Assembly. I call on you people to change your minds because there is no jumbo pay; honestly, I have not seen one.
“If I see jumbo pay that does not represent my conscience, I will speak.
“When I was governor, the state was buying my food; the state paid everything, but as a senator, nobody does that.”
Kalu, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Saturday, also promised to unveil details of all what a senator earns very soon.
“If a minister is travelling to Lagos, would he use his legs? What you call fat salary are monies used to run the constituency because they don’t give us additional funds.
“It is the money we use when we travel to Abia, Lagos, Badagry or Kaduna. Next meeting, I will unveil to you.
“You will now see that you are maligning and criticising the National Assembly for nothing.
“Most of my colleagues said they did not know it was going to be like this and I said we came to serve our country as senators.
“When they were outside, they were also saying that all the money was carried by the National Assembly which is not true.
“The money they have given them is not going to be enough. I have seen them crying already.
“They came to me to complain because I have seen the good and the ugly.
“I think that the media is not fair to the National Assembly. I call on you people to change your minds because there is no jumbo pay; honestly, I have not seen one.
“If I see jumbo pay that does not represent my conscience, I will speak.
“When I was governor, the state was buying my food; the state paid everything, but as a senator, nobody does that.”
